Sunday, October 31, 2010

It's the morning after here in Korea, and most in the family are still sleeping after their candy high!Being a military family overseas can have it's toll on the family, and to me one of the MOST important things to maintain a happy home life is to maintain traditions while being flexible.

This is not always so easy - you have to improvise, like this year we could not find Popsicle sticks for the caramel apples, so we used chopsticks.

Some years it means trunk or treating rather than

trick or treating, and some years it even means making new traditions, but having traditions helps keep us grounded when we miss home.

This year even though we miss our daughter, who is in the states, we kept with traditions. We started the day making a huge pot of homemade chili - With 3 kinds of meat! Yummm. We also watched the RANGERS WIN!!!!!!! (hopefully this will be another Halloween tradition - watching the rangers in the world series)

The boys really wanted to make the caramel apples this year - and surprising me - Jacob the oldest led the charge!

Then it was off for some trick or treating -

This year Dylan wanted to be his favorite character - Indiana Jones!

Lots of candy to be had in the base housing towers -

I also want to say thank you, I know that with many Halloween has fallen out of favor, and there were many signs on doors saying Sorry we are at church - and candy is expensive ~ So thank you to all who still participate! Who buy the candy and sit and hand it out for 2 hours! The kids LOVE it and we the parents appreciate it! THANK YOU!!!

We also had the opportunity to carve some pumpkins thanks to the community center on base last weekend and Dylan wanted me to show everyone his pumpkins - Another event that was so fun for the whole family!!

Monday, October 18, 2010

What a difference just a little bit of time makes - I don't know if I should just have a really really long blog post or just scrap it for a new blog. I think I am going to just keep this one. SO SO SO much has happened.... Mainly I lost my rock, a big part of my heart and the one who kept me grounded, my hero my mom. She was taken suddenly from us on Aug 4. Yep - that is also my birthday. It was an aneurysm. I know her and I know that believe it or not this is how she would want to have gone. Not on my birthday, but fast and quick. She was an AMAZING woman. A retired Air Force Colonel from the generation that BUSTED through the glass ceiling.

Because of her (and those like her) women can now serve in combat, women can fly jets, and no longer do we assume that if you are in the military you are a nurse. She gave everything she was to her 3 loves, her family, her country and her god. She is my idea of the ULTIMATE patriot and the best mom -

I miss her every day!

After her funeral, I made the heart wrenching decision to leave the home I love ~ Granbury and join my husband overseas in Korea. I don't think I have it in me to face this tragedy alone just yet. I wanted my family to be together to deal with our grief.

So far it has been a wonderful decision ~ We LOVE it here in Korea!!! It is an adventure every day!!! I will be trying to post our adventure in wonderland for you to enjoy!! As we see the county, and prepare to move to our new home in Italy, and know that I will be scrapping along the way! Until then - Hug your mom - let her know how you feel!!! Trust me, it can all be over in an instant!